EarthTalk Q&A

Particulate matter and smog-forming ground-level ozone continue to pose health risks for millions of Americans every year, despite forty years of progress on regulating pollution from various types of smokestacks and tailpipes.

The FDA in encouraging food producers, restaurants and fast food chain to move away from heart-unhealthy trans fats, but the most common alternative, palm oil, isn’t much better for us while also wreaking havoc on tropical rainforests across Malaysia and Indonesia and adding to our climate woes.

Apparently U.S. ethanol producers have a long way to go before the biofuel they produce is actually carbon neutral, and environmentalists warn that we might be better off moving away from it completely.

With electronic equipment and gadgets the fastest growing waste stream in many countries, how to deal with so-called “e-waste” may in fact be one of the most pressing environmental problems of the 21st century. While some countries and even some U.S. states have their own laws regulating the disposal of electronics and other technology items, environmentalists would like to see the federal government take a stand against e-waste.

Could there really be too much of a good thing when it comes to fortifying foods with nutrients? The non-profit Environmental Working Group thinks so, especially when it comes to vitamin A, niacin and zinc — all of which are added to a variety of breakfast cereals and snack bars marketed to kids but with nutritional servings for adults. The group would like to see nutrition labels updated to reflect higher risks for kids, pregnant women and others.

Cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells and emitting only water have long been part of environmentalists’ vision for a greener transportation future. But now that electric and hybrid vehicles have caught on so big, what are the prospects for fuel cell cars moving forward?

Researchers are worried about the long-term implications of so much plastic and other debris finding its way into our oceans. We can all play a role in reducing this marine litter by recycling more and littering less, while manufacturers need to reduce the wasteful packaging so common for many consumer and industrial items.

Global warming and decades of mismanagement means that wildfires are on the increase across the American West and other fire-prone areas. We can all do our part by learning how to be “fire-safe” as well as by reducing our carbon footprints.